The power of regenerative medicine enables man to re-grow severed finger

Posted on 2009-03-31 12:21:46 in Artificial & Replacement Organs & Tissues | Biotechnology |
 

A man who had sliced off the tip of his finger in the propeller of a hobby shop airplane re-grew that finger using a "powder" given to him by his brother, a research scientist. After applying the powder to his finger, every bit of the extremity - blood, vessels, skin and nails - grew back within four short weeks. As his brother explained to him, the powder - a substance made from pig bladder - is called an extracellular matrix and has the ability to instruct the body to regenerate cells. In fact, according to experts in the field of  regenerative medicine, every tissue has cells that are capable of regeneration. The matrix is used to summons the cells to the site and instruct them in terms of how they need to differentiate into specific types of tissues. Today, advances in the science of regenerative medicine go well beyond theory. Scientists at Wake Forest University in North Carolina are literally growing body parts from the cell level up. To date, they have grown 18 different types of tissue, including whole organs, heart valves and muscle tissue. Click www.youtube.com  to view this fascinating look at the power of regenerative medicine.

 

Health Headlines MORE »

For every 10 g per day increase in soluble fiber intake, a woman may reduce her risk of breast cancer by up to 26%.
Peptides from soybeans modulate neurotransmitters, thereby helping to boost circulation in the brain.
Capsaicin (found in hot peppers) and capsiates (present in sweet peppers) exert modest weight management benefits.
While over 20% of U.S. adults receive periodic health examinations each year, many do not receive recommended preventive screening tests and counseling services
Researchers from Norway suggest a mechanism by which stress may make a person fat, and being obese may create stress.
Swedish researchers report that people who are short on sleep experience greater levels of hunger.
Among women with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), regular physical activity helps to reduce anxiety, irritability, feelings of tension, low energy and pain.
For every 100 mg per-day increase in magnesium in the diet, stroke risk may decline by up to 9%.
The best male marathon runners over age 65, and the best female marathon runners over age 45, continue to consistently improve their performance.
UCLA-led team safely uses human embryonic stem cells to treat macular degeneration.
ANTI-AGING TIP OF THE DAY
In Working Order
Men and women who stay mentally engaged in their original occupational field fare after retirement fare best mentally. University of Maryland (Maryland, USA) researchers studied 12,189 retired men and women, ages 51 to 61 years at the beginning of the study. The team revealed that those retirees who continued to work in a bridge job experienced fewer major diseases...